Baker County

Oregon Genealogy and History

City of Sumpter,
Baker County, Oregon

The City of Sumpter

Sumpter is a mountain city
with a population of 140. It is located 29 miles almost due west of
Baker City, but about a thousand feet higher. It is a city that
refused to die.

Sumpter began as a huddle of crude cabins, but, due to man�s
endless search for riches, Sumpter blossomed (1898-1903) into a
storybook boom town. Then the dream bubble burst. When the
anticipated quantity of gold could not be fulfilled, population
declined. A devastating fire raged in 1917.

But still, Sumpter never gave up.

Although accounts vary slightly about the naming of Sumpter,
researchers have attributed the early beginning to five Confederate
soldiers who decided they had had enough war in 1862 and came to
seek fortunes of gold. They built a rough cabin of logs, about half
a mile west of Sumpter of today. The named it Fort Sumter after
the South Carolina fort where shooting began in the Civil War.

While some rationalize that the change in spelling might have
been made by a miner who had imbibed to much, the facts may be
otherwise. Alice Warnock received a direct story from the family of
Joseph Young, one of the early arrivals to the gold camp and one who
became postmaster. He was directly involved in the naming.

The name of Fort Sumter was not acceptable to the postal
department. In 1883, the �Fort� was dropped and the �P� added. Mr.
Young was an avid reader of Shakespeare and in the play �King Lear,�
he found the word �Sumpter� meaning �a horse that carries provisions
for a journey � a pack animal.�

The name seemed appropriate for a place where hills were dotted
with crude mining camps where horses and mules wee a necessity and
as a substitute for the �Sumter� sound alike.

Sumpter lay pretty quiet until the Transcontinental Railroad
reached Baker in 1884 and then the town and surrounding area began
to �boom.� The town of Sumpter was platted in 1886, the same year
the Statue of Liberty was dedicated on Bedloe�s Island. As the town
rushed ahead, like all mining towns of those early days, Sumpter
became a �rip-roaring� place. In 1896, the Sumpter Valley Railroad
reached Sumpter, which added to the already growing community.

The real activity was in 1899-1903 with the opening of the
numerous hard-rock mines and the extensive hydraulic placer mining.

By now, Sumpter boasted a brick yard, sawmill, smelter, railroad,
electric lights, a fine gravity flow water system with reservoir,
and a street paved with planks and miles of wooden sidewalks. There
was a race track, baseball and basketball teams, undertaker, several
assayers, a brewery, dairy, two cigar factories, an extensive
Chinatown, hospital, 16 saloons, livery stables and blacksmith
shops. Also 5 hotels, a clothing store, 3 general stores, a public
school with 200 attendance, an opera house, 2 banks, 4 churches,
telephone system, newspapers and a fire department.

By 1901, Sumpter grew to over 3000 people and 81 business
establishments. In 1905-06, the mines began to lose their yield and
close down and the area and population began to decline. The town
quieted a great deal; then in 1913, the dredging of the valley
commenced, and with the Columbia Mine still in operation, it began
to breathe again. The Columbia Mine stopped mining operations in
1916, leaving No. 1 and No. 2 gold dredges working the valley.

On Sunday, August 13, 1917, the day began like any other day, but
by day�s end the prosperous town was reduced to pole of rubble and
ashes by a disastrous fire which consumed virtually the entire
business district, plus a great number of homes in 12-block area.

No. 1 dredge worked the valley until 1924 and No. 2 until 1923.
The Sumpter Valley Dredging Company built the dredge that lays at
the edge of Sumpter and it began operation in 1935.

Because of World War II, it ceased operation 1942 to 1945, then
began once again under various ownerships until all dredging of the
valley ceased in 1954. During its heyday, it recovered more than
$4.5 million in gold.

It is said that over $10 million in gold was recovered by the
dredging of Sumpter Valley alone.

During the depression years, Sumpter witnessed the struggle of
many people trying to gain the price of a loaf of bread or a few
beans by panning for a few flakes of gold along Powder River. No
longer was man seeking riches, but trying to survive.
In 1937, the Sumpter Valley Railroad terminated passenger
service. The last scheduled run from Bates to Baker was April 11,
1947. The �Stump Dodger,� as it was called, no longer blew her
whistle.

Would Sumpter become another broken-down Ghost Town? NEVER!! On
January 30, 1951, the city purchased from the Sumpter Power and
Water Company, Inc., all the real estate, personal property, water
rights and easements for the sum of $5,000. A school was erected,
using some of the old schoolhouse materials, the balance being sold
to the highest bidder. The Sumpter School at present is under the
5-J District and now stands idle.

In 1954, the dredge stopped operating. However, a few of the
mines continued to produce, but the population continued to drop.
By 1960, the population was 96. The two main stabilizing forces for
the economy were now slipping away.

In 1971, construction was started on a new fire station and
community hall. Later, the city office was also moved to this
building. A new charter for the city became effective June 22,
1972, but by the late 70�s the few remaining mines ceased to
operate. Now people had to look outside Sumpter for employment.
Others decided to retire in the peaceful surroundings of the
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

Our eyes are now turned to tourism. We have a lot to offer and
plan to take advantage of our heritage. You can again ride the
Sumpter Valle Railroad and, when plans are completed, you will be
able to come into the Sumpter Station. On Mill Street, several of
the old buildings have been restored and converted into gift
antiques and a shirt shop. There is an eating place and store. A
new restaurant, with gifts hop, was built several years ago near the
city hall. Flea markets are held three or four times a year between
Memorial Day and Labor Day. Sumpter Valley Days Association has a
celebration around the Fourth of July. Crowds of snow enthusiasts
and the Snowmobile Club gather for the Winter Carnival.

Sumpter may never reach the �Queen City� status, but she will
never die as long as she has citizens who care. (Composite from:
Elaine Lampro, Mayoress of Sumpter; Brooks Hawley, Historian,
Sumpter; and Joe O�Connor, Historian, Baker).